Apparatus for wrapping articles with strands



y 5- S. M. MARTIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES WITH STRANDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1943 F/CS/ mva/vroRs O.G. NELSON S. M MART/N BY 7' Ava/2 Avro A fy May 15, 1945. s. M. MARTIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES WITH STRANDS Filed Nov. 27, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 fi 05W n NE R 6 .N.M. ,0 M f M 0 w T B s A 6 5 7 vow Y. Q 8

May 15, 1945. s. M. MARTIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES WITH STRANDS 6 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 27, 1943 mm mm ww AT ToR/vEY May 15, 1945. s.- M. MARTIN ET AL 2,375,861

I APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES WITH STRANDS Filed Nov. 2'7, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 s N. 3 w m 5 U Q\\ w .@\h\ T L N H QN m E M m E v N r mvm w G. M T Mm O. A

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APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLE WITH STRANDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 27, 1943 lNVENTORS O. G. NELSON S. M. M RT/N May 15, 1945.

S. M. MARTIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES WITH STRANDS Filed Nbv. 27, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 nvvmvroas O. G. NELSO/V .5. MA ffT/N III Afro /vEy Patented l 2,875,861 I I armnsrus FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES wrrn srassns semen M. Martin and Oscar 6. Nelson, Baltimore, Md., asslgnors to Westemlllectrlc Com! puny, Incorporated, ration oiNew York New York, N. Y., a corpoiipcaflon November 27, 1943, Serial No. 512,005

' n (oi. 242-1) This invention relates to w atus-ior wrapping articles with strands and more particularly to apparatus for wrapping splices in electrical communication cordswith tile strands.

In the manufacture of certain kin of communication cords, the conductors of several individual cords are spliced together. The splices thus formed are each wrapped with an insulating material'and the entire joint is wrapped with a strand to form a filler which serves as a base for an insulating composition appliedthereover.

It is an object of this invention to provide new,

and improved apparatus for wrapping articles with strands.

. One device embodying the invention comprises a chuck for holding an article to be wrapped, a

holder for supply of wrapping cord, means to rotate the holder about an. article held by said chuck to wrap a cord around the article, and means to move the chuck and the article held thereby relative to the holder for controlling the distribution of the cord upon the article.

A clear understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the invention, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which 1 Fig. l is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-43 in Fig. l; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a portion of' the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

the top of a work tableji. A hollow shaft 28 (Fig. 4) fitting closely in bushings 27-2? positioned in grooves 28-28 formed in the bearing 2i is secured for rotation therein by annular plates 88 and 3| secured to the ends thereof by.

bolts 327-32 and 33-33, respectively. Washers 3545 abutting against the bearing 28 and a sprocket 36 secured to the shaft by a set screw 87 prevent relative longitudinal movement between the shaft 26 and the bearing 2i. An arbor 39 also secured to the shaft 25'by the bolts 3333 has a. guide cap. 4|! threaded on the outer end thereof. "The guide cap 48 has an aperture 5i formed centrally thereinand has a smooth convex surface 42 formed thereon.

A hollow rod 45 (Fig. 3) having a keyway 46, a slot 4?, and aligned apertures 49-49 formedtherein is slidably secured by a key 50 in a bearmg bolted to the standard 20. A pin' s is secured in the aligned apertures 69-49. The

bearing 5| is positioned on the, standard 20 in Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6& in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is afragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view, in partial section, taken along line til-til of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of th apparatus, and

' Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view of an article to be wrapped by the apparatus, with portions thereof broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, a standard 20 (Fig. 3). having a bearing 2! formed thereon is attached to a base plat 22- which is secured to such a manner that the rod is a i ned with the axis of the shaft 26 into which one end of the rod H A sleeve 52 secured in the shaft 26 by projects. 4 a set screw 55 prevents excessive play between the rod 45 and the shaft 26.

One end of a hollow chuck 56 (Figs. 3 and 7) having longitudinal slots 51-57 formed in one end thereof is threaded into one end of therod 45 and is secured in that position by a set screw 58. The slots 51-57 divide the end of the chuck in which they are formed into four resilient, wedge-like jaws 60-80. A sleeve 6! is slidably mounted within the arbor 31 and surrounds the chuck 56. The sleeve 5| is urged toward the right, as shown in Fig. 3, by a coil spring 52 engaging a shoulder formed on the rod 65 and a flange 66 formed on the sleeve 8!. A washer 81 on the sleeve 6| separates the flange 66'and a shoulder 69 formed on the arbor 39 when the as viewed in Fig. 3.

An arm 10 (Fig. 2) having a slot 1| formed in the upper end thereof is secured to a sleeve 12 rotatably mounted on a pin 15 projecting between arms 16-46 of a bracket 11 bolted to the work table 25. A second arm I9 having apertures -80 formed therein is also rigidly secured to thevsleeve l2 and is adjustably connected by a pin 8| to a. link 82. The other end of the link 82 is pivotally mounted to an arm 85 by a pin 86 which-passes through one of a plurality of apertures 81-81 formed in the arm 85. The arm 85 is pivotally secured to the bracket I! by a bolt 89 passing through apertures 84-88 formed sprocket in the arms 06 83 and through a sleeve 90 se-, cured to the arm 35. A tension spring 9| with one end thereof hooked over one of a plurality of pins 92-'-92 secured between the arms 16-15 and the other end thereof hooked through an aperture 95 formed in the arm 19 urges the arm 19 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2. A pedal 96 rotatably mounted on the arm 65 by a bolt 91 serves to move he system of levers Just described against theaction of thespring 9|.

Fig. 3, by springs I51--I51 coiled around the pin A motor 96 of a conventional type is mounted on the top of a housing 99 and rotates a conventlonai drive I terminating in a shaft IOI upon which a sprocket I02 (Fig. 3) is secured in alignment with the sprocket 36. The sprocket I02 transmits power from the shaft IOI to the 36 by means of a chain I03. The sprocket 36 rotates the shaft 26, the arbor 39, and the plate 3 I, as well as a ball of cord I04 secured on the arbor by the guide cap 40. A brake shoe I05 pivotally mounted on a bolt I06 projecting from the plate 3! is pressed against the ball of cord I04 by a coil spring I01, thereby prevent rotation of the ball of cord with respect to the arbor 39. A pair of discs IOBI06 is slidably mounted on a pin I09 mounted on an arm IIO secured to the plate 3| and the discs are urged together by a spring III. A guide roller I I2 (Fig.6) is also mounted on the plat 3|.

A switch-operating pedal H3 (Fig. 2) is pivotally mounted by a bracket II5 bolted to a base II6 forming a part of the base of the work table 25. A rod 1 is pivotally connected to the pedal II3 by a bolt H9 secured in a to the end of the pedal H3. A spring I2I i attached at one end to the bolt 89 and is secured by means of'an S-shaped hook I22 to a block The block I25 is secured adjustabiy to the rod II1 by a set screw I26, and the rod is urged upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, by the action of the spring I2I.

A turnbuckle I21 (Fig. 2) adjustably joins the rod III to a second rod I29 which is attached to a lever I30. The lever I30 actuates a conventional switch I3I controlling the operation of the motor 90. When the lever I90 is urged upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, by the action of the sprin I2 I ,the switch I3I is in the off position. When the left end of the pedal H3 is pressed downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, the switch I3I will be closed to start the operation of the motor 98.

A housing I32 (Fig. 1) having an opening I35 formed therein concentric with the chuck 56 is provided to enclose the chuck and the half of cord. A door I30 (Fig. 11) forming-a part of the housing I32 is rigidiysecured to a rod I31 (Fig. 8) rotatably mounted in bearm89I39-1I39 bolted to the housing I32 and in a bearing I bolted tothe baseplate 22. A lever I4I .attached by set tending to screws I42---'I 42 to.

bearing I20 welded the rod I31 .ispivotally attached to one end of a bar I45 (Figs. 9 and 10). The other end ofthe bar I45 passes through an aperture I46 formed in a guide In secured to the work table 25 and is,

thrust beneath a dog I49 adjustably secured by set screws I50-I50 to the rod I29 when the door I36 is in its open position, as shown in'dotted lines in Fig. 9 When the bar I45 is thrust underthe dog I49, the rod I29 will be prevented-from 'being drawn downwardly toclose the switch I3I and thus the apparatus'cannot be operated while the-door I36 to the guard housing I32 is open.

Consequently, the risk of injuries to an operator j of the apparatus-is avoided. When the door I36 I is closec l,'the end of the bar I45 will be retracted downwardly by a compression spring I65 mounted thereon which presses against the projection I62 and against a washer I66 secured on the rod by a collar I61. attached to the rod by a set screw I68 (Fig. 3). A plate I10 welded to the rod I cooperateswith the projection I62 to form a clamp in which two arms I1I-I1I of a Y-type cord I12 to be operated on are held by the downward pressure of the spring I acting on the rod I60.

In the operation of the above described embodiment of the invention, a stem I15 (Fig. 4) of the Y-type cord I12 is inserted between the jaws 60-60 of the chuck 56 so that insulated splices I16-I16 of conductors ,I11-I11 of the stem I15 and the arms I1I--I1I of the Y-type cord I12 are just outside of the cap 40, as shown in Fig, 4. The pedal 96 is then pressed downwardly to pivot the arm 05 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, which in turn through the link 92 rotates the arms 1.9 and 10 counterclockwise against the action of the spring 9I. The arm 10 acting against the pin 53 moves the hollow rod 45 to the left, as shown in Fig. 3, and advances the chuck 56 to a position where the jaws 60-60 bear against the beveled end of the sleeve 6i which forces the jaws radially inwardly to firmly grip the stem I15 therebetween.

At this point in the operation, the L-shaped rod I60 and the plate I10 attached thereto are raised against the actionof the spring I65 and the arms I1I-I1I of the cord I12 are inserted between the projection I62 and the plate I10. The cord I12 then is drawn taut, and the rod I60 is released whereby the arms III--I1I are securely clamped between the projection I62 and the plate I10.

The end of a strand I13 forming the ball of cord I04 is drawn over the pin I I2, between the discs I09--I08, and over the convex surface 42.

' The end of the strand then i wound around the cord I12 and is carried along the arms I1I-I1I. v

The pedal H3 is pressed to close the switch I3I thereby starting the motor 98, which rotates shaft IN and the sprocket I02 carried thereby. The sprocket I02 drives the chain I03 which rotates the sprocket 36, thereby rotating the shaft 26, the arbor 3| and the ball of cord I04 around the chuck 56 and the cord I12 held by the chuck. As the arbor 3| is rotated around the cord I12, the strand I13 is wrapped'around the cord and is placed under tension by the braking action of the spring pressed discs I09I08 and the brake shoe I05 which presses against the periphery of the cord I 04. The brake shoe I05 tends to prevent anyrotation of the ball of cord I04 with respect-to the arbor 3|, thereby tending to keep the strand. I13 under tension as the strand is withdrawn from the ball.

As the strand I13 is being wound around the on the article.

cord N2, the pedal at is pressed farther downwardly to move the chuck t6 and the cord 2 to the left relative to the cap W, as seen in Fig. 4, and consequently the strand will be guidedby the cap to the bared portions of the conductors i11- lll being drawn past the convex surface 42 of the cap. After the cord H2 has been moved a sumcient distance for all of the bared portions oi the conductors ill-ill to be wrapped by the strand M3, the pressure on the pedal 96 may be lessened to permit the spring 95 to move the chuck and the cord H2 held thereby slowly toward the right, Fs viewed in Fig. 4, whereupon another layer the strand will be wrapped around the cord H2. The springs i'll51 will rotate the arm ldii away from the'arbor at the same time and thereby draw the arms Ill-ill of the cord H72 away from the arbor. Thus, the cord H2 may be reciprocated back and forth past the convex surface 62 and the wrappings of the strand 6 it applied thereon may be built up to any desired thickness. When the chuck 56 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, it is not moved much beyond the position shown in Big. 4, otherwise the jaws dd-tfl would slide out of the sleeve iii and release the cord 6 l2.

After the strand ilfi has been wrapped to the desired thickness upon the cord 672, the pedal Mil is released to open the switch ikl and stop the motor at. The strand M3 is severed and the severed end is tied to the end thereof initially layed along the arms ill-ill to prevent unwinding oi the portion of the strand wrapped around the cord. The pedal 96 is then completely released to permit the jaws tfi-tiito spring open, thus releasing the stem N5 of the cord H2.

When the ball of cord ltd is exhausted, a similar one may be substituted therefor by removing the cap did from the arbor 39, sliding the new ball, on the arbor, and rethreading the cap thereon. When the strand of the substituted ball of cord is to be threaded between the discs tilt-ltd, the latch idl is opened and the door 686 moved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9 to facilitate the step of threading. While the door 536 is in such a position, the bar M5 prevents any accidental starting of themotor 98, as pointed out hereinabove.

The length of the portion of the cord to .which the strand is applied may be varied by attaching the ends of the link 82 to the arms it and t5 at different ones of the apertures dt-til and Ell-ill. This causes the distance of travel ,of the chuck for a given motion of the foot pedal to. be varied. What is claimed is:

r, i. In a strand applying apparatus, meansfor clamping an elongated article, means to actu ate said clamping means, a strand supplying a predetermined portion of the article, means for moving the article relative to the strand supplying means, and means for tensioning the article. r

3. In a strand supplying apparatus, a chuck having jaws formed thereon for clamping the end of an article, means for urging the jaws together to clamp the end of an article therebetween, a cylindrical holder for carrying a strand supply positioned around said chuck in.

concentric relationship thereto, means for rotating said holder around both the chuck and an article held by the chuck to wind a strand supplier to distribute the turns of the strand means, means for rotating the strand supplying means about both the first mentioned means and an article held thereby to wrap a strand about a portion of the article, and means for moving the first mentioned means andthe article held thereby relative to the strand supplying means to distribute the windings oi the strand 2. In a strand applying apparatus, means vfor clamping one end of an elongated article, means for actuating the first mentioned means to' sesurely grip the end of such an article, a strand su plying means, mean for rotating the strand supplying means about an article held by the first mentioned means to wind 'a strahdabout article held by said chuck to wrap a strandaround the article, means for reciprocating the chuck and the article held thereby relative to thelstrand supplying means, and means for tensioning the article during such reciprocation.

6. In a strand applying apparatus, a hollow arbor, means for retaining a, ball of cord upon the arbor, a chuck positioned in the arbor for clamping one end of an article/means for rotating the arbor around the chuck to wind a cord around a predetermined portion of an arti cle held by the chuck, and means for reciprocating the. chuck to distribute the windings of the cord upon the article. I

"I. In a strand applying apparatus-st chuck having wedge-like jaws formed thereon, a sleeve positioned around the chuck, a spring for urging the sleeve over the wedge-like jaws to close .formed thereon, a sleeve slidably mounted on the chuck, means for urging the sleeve'over the jaws to clamp an article positioned between the jaws, a strand/supplying arbor, means for rotat ing the arbor around the article, means for moving the chuck and the article in one direc= tion relative to the arbor, and means for urging the chuck in the Opposite direction. 5

9. In-a strand applying apparatus, a chuck ,havins aplurality of resilient, wedge-like jaws formed" thereon, a sleeve 'slidably mounted on the chuck, a spring for urging the sleve over the jawsto clamp an. elongated article therebetween, a pivoted lever adjacent to the chuck, 'meansfor urging the lever away from the chuck,

means for securing a portion of an article clamped by the jaws upon, the end 01! the lever. a strand supplying arbor, the arbor around the chuck to wrap a strand around the article, positively driven meansiior moving the chuck in one direction relative to the arbor, and resilient means chuck in the opposite direction; 1

10. In a strand applying apparatus, an elongated member, means associated with the memher for securing a cord thereto, anarbor for for urging the means for rotating wrapping a strand around a cord secured by said means, a system of levers for movin the member a predetermined distance with respect to the arbor, and means for adjusting said system of levers to vary said predetermined distance.

SAMUEL MJMAR'I'IN. OSCAR G. NELSON. 

